Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Thanks to the lovely TwiDi for cleaning up my mess :) Check out her story You Don't Know Anything *hint it's in my favs ;).

Chapter 4

The festival was in full swing, thankfully the light dusting of snow had melted and it was forty-two degrees outside now. Which made the festival that much more enjoyable. The town's people almost looked like a living piece of Norman Rockwell's 'Saturday Evening Post'. Families from all over the area had come to celebrate. People that Bella hadn't seen in six years or more wished her well; and guys she knew, all claimed dances for the after barn dance. The barn dance that was actually held in the high school gym and no one under eighteen was allowed to attend. Bella was a little excited, since she'd never been to the dance before and she had always wanted to go.

When it was time for the dance, Emma went back to the house with Renee and Bella's Aunt Jean, Renee's sister, while Bella and Rose went on to the dance. The gym was filled with Halloween and fall decorations that lined the walls; and smiling faces were filling the dance floor. People walked around saying 'hi' and catching up with their neighbors. Almost everyone knew everyone and it made it seem that much more welcoming and warm-hearted. The few new comers were introduced around and more than a few of them looked at Bella longer than what was polite. However, that didn't get her spirits down.

The dance floor was getting packed as the spiked punch flowed down their throats. The DJ who was running the booth took requests and played songs off of a huge supply of CDs. Bella danced a couple of dances with old classmates like Mike Newton, old man Newton's grandson and Tyler Crowley who was back in town after failing at being a race car driver.

Around 10 pm, Bella was getting ready to leave when the DJ got quiet and the mayor stood on the stage.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have a treat tonight." He paused for dramatic effect and Bella's stomach plummeted. She knew what he was going to say. She had this feeling all day that Edward was near. She had put it down to being back in Forks, but she knew now she had been lying to herself, "Our hometown's super star is going to sing us a few songs here tonight live. Ladies and gents, making his return to the Forks High School gym stage in an encore of his high school talent show days, Edward Cullen!"

As the crowd went nuts and the curtain rose to show Edward and his band, Bella could feel her legs crumbling beneath her.

"Hello, Forks, how is it going?" Edward winked and laughed at his friends and family going nuts for him, "The first song we're going to play is called 'Some where Between Time'." They went nuts again. And though she had no idea why Bella clapped and screamed along with everyone.

The strands of the music started out slow and haunting becoming a lively dance tune. Bella barely listened as she stared up at Edward who was all in black and looking dangerous; with his tight black jeans his black boots and that naughty black silk shirt that screamed sex. Bella swore that the jeans were so tight you could almost tell Edward was circumcised.

As that song ended and the applause calmed down, his velvet voice spoke again, "This one is going to be my next single. And since I wrote it right here years ago it seems only right that I debut it here for all of you. Here's Bella's Heart." The slow music began and some folks turned to look at Bella and smile. Bella knew the words already. She had been the only one at his first debut of the song.

"I wanna go to the place I felt safest

My only true home

Inside the love that I hold tight,

All this I found only in Bella's heart.

When the sun rises

When the moon comes out to play

I know where I'll be

In the one place I never want to leave

Bella's heart is the key

To all I am and want to be

When I need it the most it's always there

Forever you'll find me

In Bella's heart

Forever I want to be inside Bella's heart

The crowd screamed and Bella took the diversion to leave without notice. Rosalie ran out behind her, but took a second to glare at Edward Cullen, the man she once thought was perfect. Then she glared at his manager the blue-eyed stud who was staring at her. She met his gaze head on with a contemptuous glare.

Rose slid around a little trying to catch up with Bella, it had started to snow again and the temperature had dropped causing the melted snow to freeze over. Though, she did catch up half way down the street from the school, how her clumsy sister had made it that far on ice without falling, Rose couldn't figure out, "Bella, wait up!" she huffed and ran through the snow trying to make up for her sister's head start, "Damn, girl, I haven't had to run that fast since I was on FHS track team." She said grabbing onto Bella's shoulders.

"Damn him, Rose!" Bella screamed at her sister, "How dare he show up here, how can he stand there and sing the song he wrote for me. The song her wrote after the first time we made love?" Bella's eyes welled up with tears that slowly began slipping down her soft porcelain cheeks.

"Ms. Swan?" A vaguely familiar male voice dragged Bella around. Wiping the tears from her face, she looked into the blue eyes of Emmett McCarty.

"Mr. McCarty." She whispered back.

"Listen, McCarty, my sister doesn't want to be part of your fucking montage, nor anything to do with Edward Cullen's life. So, go back and tell your client, that he can go to hell! He's not needed here nor is he wanted. He maybe the hometown star, but he is nothing to the Swans." Rose finished her tirade by grabbing onto Bella and pulling her towards their house.

"Bella!" A voice screamed. A voice Bella knew so well, she could conjure it up perfectly in her own head. A voice that had put pure pain in Bella. A voice she found herself running away from as fast as she could; leaving her sister and Emmett McCarty in complete shock standing in her dust. Not Edward though, he took off running after here. She had no idea where she was going, only that she had to get away.

Edward was shocked as his target took off. He never in his wildest dreams thought she'd take her clumsy butt off in a run, or he wouldn't have worn these damned tight pants. Alice had called them sexy and dangerous when she helped him pick them out, he had just hoped they would stir something in Bella tonight.

"Bella, slow down damn it before you hurt yourself." He screamed at her, "We need to talk."

"Go away, Edward. We have nothing left to say to each other." She puffed out in short little breaths.

Of course, Bella being Bella, she wasn't looking where she was going but had turned back to glare at Edward instead. And seeing him catching up with her quickly, she tried to go faster and ended up slipping on an ice patch. Landing none too gracefully on her butt and giving Edward more than enough time to get to her.

"Bella, baby, are you ok?" His eyes scanning her for injuries.

"No, Mr. Cullen, I am not ok. You see I have a demented ex-boyfriend who is stalking me and now I have a broken ass!" She hollered up at him, her big brown eyes burning with rage.

"Awe, Kitten, I swear you have your Mother's good looks and your Father's gift for stating the obvious." He laughed at the outrage on her face, "Now, we both know Mr. Cullen is my father and I'm Edward. Come on, Kitten, you can say it… Edward." He laughed again as her hand shot up and told him he was number one, "Come on, Bella. Let's get you someplace warm. All I need to deal with is explaining to my daughter," he heard her gasp, but continued on, "that upon seeing her mother for the first time in six years, I broke her butt and caused her to get frost bite or pneumonia."

"No, you can't know. She's not yours, Edward, she's mine." Bella shrieked.

"We'll discuss it someplace warmer, Kitten." Looking back, he saw the cavalry, "Em, help me get Bella up and into the car." A long sleek black limo appeared as if by magic on the road behind them.

"Bella, are you alright?" Rose asked her sister.

"I don't know if I'll ever be ok again." Came the weak reply.

*******

The limo pulled up at the Swan's house and the four people who had traveled the five-minute ride in complete silence, emerged. Walking as if she were on her way to the electric chair Bella watched Rosalie unlock the door and let everyone in.

Laughing could be heard coming from the living room. One very young and another more mature. Both female. Edward took off towards the living room in a strong purposeful stride. Bella's treacherous mind admired the firm manly backside of his ass then berated herself for it.

"Edward!" Renee's voice was nervous as she exclaimed his name.

"Renee." He nodded his eyes taking in the miniature female version of himself who sat smiling at him.

"I knew you'd come, Daddy!" Emma yelled launching herself into father's arms. He wrapped her tight and placed her little head under his chin.

"Hello, Emma." He whispered into her hair, "How did you know who I am?" He asked clearly bewildered that the child should know his identity.

"Silly! Mommy told me ages ago. But it's a secret cause if people knew then I maybe kidnapped or worse. Right, Mommy?" Emma turned her head towards Bella for confirmation.

"Right, baby." Bella responded.

"You told her?" Edward was clearly still in shock. He couldn't seem to grasp that Bella had told their daughter who he was and that the child seemed to like him.

"Yes, Edward. Since she was a baby she has known. Hell, she even has our graduation picture under her pillow. The one where you're holding…" Bella cut off as the memory filled her mind and heat filled Edward's eyes.

"Yeah, I know the one." The masculine timber filled with a seductive tone. The tone he used before, during and after sex. His 'I'm horny, baby' tone. Edward's green eyes raked over Bella's body then looked dead into her brown orbs. Bella almost felt like he was touching her with just a look. Her poor panties were the victims of his voice and gaze.

"Daddy, have you come to your winces now?" Emma asked.

"Winces?" Edward asked Bella.

"Senses, Edward." Bella told him through her suppressed laughter.

"Ahh, yes, Emma dear, I am in complete control of my senses." Edward told his daughter before cutting his eyes to Bella wondering what she had told the child.

"Good. 'Cause Mommy said that till you grow up and come to your winces, you wouldn't be ready to be Daddy." Emma told him, her vocabulary surprising him. Though her missing front tooth caused a slight lisp.

"Emma, this is my best friend Emmett McCarty." Edward introduced them when he noticed Emma staring at Emmett.

"You're pretty, Uncle Emmett." Emma told the man reaching over from her Dad's arms to hug him.

"Uncle?" Emmett asked flattered and shocked.

"Sure. You're Daddy's best friend; so you're my uncle. Like Auntie Maggie and Uncle Felix are, because they are Mommy's best friends." She said simply.

"I can deal with being uncle Em." He smiled.

Rose snorted, she wasn't happy with any of this. Especially Edward and Emmett invading their home.

"Emma darling, it's time to get ready for bed, go on up and brush your teeth and change into your jammies. I'll be up in a moment." The little girl hugged Edward one more time before running up the stairs.

"So…" Emmett said into the silence that followed.

"So, what?" Rose snapped looking dangerous.

"Listen, Edward, I know you want to discuss this thing… but I'm tired, Emma is tired; all of us are tired. Tomorrow is another day and not that far off. Come over around ten and we'll talk then." Bella looked at her ex, giving her sternest look. The one she used on Emma when she was having a tantrum.

"Bella, promise me you won't do anything rash like running." Edward begged at the door, looking at her intensely as if he could somehow dig out the hidden depths of her mind if he stared hard enough.

"That's your forte, Edward, not mine." Bella shut the door in Edward and Emmett's faces and promptly burst into tears.

"Oh, Bella!" Rose hugged Bella to her, "We'll fix this, hun."

"Rosie, he couldn't want to take her from me, could he? I mean it would cramp his playboy lifestyle. But, he wants something. I know him and I know the looks he gets and I just can't figure out what is his game this time." Bella looked up and standing on the stairs grinning was her beautiful daughter.

"Mommy, don't worry. Be happy Daddy's come to his winces." Emma smiled her impish grin and ran back up the stairs squealing with childish delight.

"Damn his senses." Bella muttered beneath her breath and then pulled herself together to follow her daughter up the stairs.